Latest in CNN Films

As Academy Documentary Branch voters ponder their nomination ballots, they have no fewer than three Neon features to consider on the Oscar shortlist—Honeyland, The Biggest Little Farm, and Apollo 11. The latter film, directed by Todd Douglas Miller, became the top nonfiction box office hit of 2019, making more than…

UPDATED with DOC NYC winners, 6:30 PM: CNN Films has acquired the documentary feature Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice and set its television premiere for New Year’s Day on CNN. Ronstadt was 21 when she first hit the national charts with the Stone Poneys’ “Different Drum,” and her plaintive vocal leapt off the…

Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom) will direct and produce a documentary about the late Anthony Bourdain for CNN Films, HBO Max and Focus Features. Described in the announcement as a film about the “uncommon life of the late storyteller, explorer and chef,” the documentary first will be…

“His clothes danced with you,” beams fashion designer Halston’s key model, best friend and cover girl Liza Minnelli in the latest 1091 Media/CNN Films documentary about the disco era iconoclast by filmmaker Frédéric Tcheng. Known for creating shimmery, easy to wear one piece outfits and dresses from one piece of…

Courtney Sexton has been promoted to SVP of CNN Films. In her new role, Sexton will work day-to-day with filmmakers to supervise the production of documentary films for theatrical exhibition and distribution across CNN's platforms. Among the 40-plus features and shorts Sexton’s team has acquired, co-produced or…

The director of the Emmy-nominated documentary Love, Gilda says a previously unknown film script written by the late Gilda Radner could soon make the rounds in Hollywood. "She left behind a screenplay which I have that nobody seems to have even known about," filmmaker Lisa D'Apolito tells Deadline exclusively. "I’m…

AGC Studios, CNN Films, and BBC Arts are co-financing documentary Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story about the eponymous English romance novelist. Laura Fairrie is directing the doc biopic which is being produced by John Battsek and Lizzie Gillett of Searching For Sugar Man and One Day In September outfit Passion…

For Tim Wardle, director of the documentary Three Identical Strangers, the last 18 months have been head-spinning. "To be honest," he tells Deadline, "from Sundance onwards, life has been a bit of a blur." That's what happens when you make one of the most acclaimed nonfiction films of recent years—a hit not only with…

You know the voice. You know the face. It’s time to get to know the woman. Here is the first trailer for Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, a feature documentary that takes an insider’s look at one of the most successful recording acts of the 20th century. “Linda could literally sing anything,” longtime friend and…

EXCLUSIVE: North American distribution rights to Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice have been co-acquired by Greenwich Entertainment and 1091 (formerly The Orchard). The documentary, directed by Oscar winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and produced by James Keach and  Michele Farinola and CNN…

CNN Films announced today it’s partnering with Trilogy Films, Color Farm Media and AGC Studios to develop a documentary about Congressman John Robert Lewis and his civil rights efforts. Lewis was the youngest speaker at the 1963 March on Washington. Nicknamed “the Boy from Troy,” in recognition of his oratory skills…

When it comes to the great surge we’ve seen at the box office for documentaries, “investment by someone or some entity” like CNN Films makes all the difference according to RBG co-director and producer Julie Cohen. “If you’re making a documentary for $50K, there’s going to be limitations on what the quality is going…